Photogrammetry is the science of making measurements of and between objects depicted within photographs, especially aerial photographs. Generally, photogrammetry involves taking images of terrestrial features and deriving data therefrom, such as, for example, data indicating relative distances between and sizes of objects within the images. Photogrammetry may also involve coupling the photographs with other data, such as data representative of latitude and longitude. In effect, the image is overlaid and conformed to a particular spatial coordinate system.
Conventional photogrammetry involves the capture and/or acquisition of orthogonal images. The image-capturing device, such as a camera or sensor, is carried by a vehicle or platform, such as an airplane or satellite, and is aimed at a nadir point that is directly below and/or vertically downward from that platform. The point or pixel in the image that corresponds to the nadir point is the only point/pixel that is truly orthogonal to the image-capturing device. All other points or pixels in the image are actually oblique relative to the image-capturing device. As the points or pixels become increasingly distant from the nadir point they become increasingly oblique relative to the image-capturing device and the ground sample distance (i.e., the surface area corresponding to or covered by each pixel) also increases. Such obliqueness in an orthogonal image causes features in the image to be distorted, especially images relatively distant from the nadir point.
Such distortion is removed, or compensated for, by the process of ortho-rectification which, in essence, removes the obliqueness from the orthogonal image by fitting or warping each pixel of an orthogonal image onto an orthometric grid or coordinate system. The process of ortho-rectification creates an image wherein all pixels have the same ground sample distance and are oriented to the north. Thus, any point on an ortho-rectified image can be located using an X, Y coordinate system and, so long as the image scale is known, the length and width of terrestrial features as well as the relative distance between those features can be calculated.
Although the process of ortho-rectification compensates to a degree for oblique distortions in an orthogonal image, it introduces other undesirable distortions and/or inaccuracies in the ortho-rectified orthogonal image. Objects depicted in ortho-rectified orthogonal images may be difficult to recognize and/or identify since most observers are not accustomed to viewing objects, particularly terrestrial features, from above. To an untrained observer an ortho-rectified image has a number of distortions. Roads that are actually straight appear curved and buildings may appear to tilt. Further, ortho-rectified images contain substantially no information as to the height of terrestrial features. The interpretation and analysis of orthogonal and/or ortho-rectfified orthogonal images is typically performed by highly-trained analysts whom have undergone years of specialized training and experience in order to identify objects and terrestrial features in such images.
Thus, although orthogonal and ortho-rectified images are useful in photogrammetry, they lack information as to the height of features depicted therein and require highly-trained analysts to interpret detail from what the images depict.
Oblique images are images that are captured with the image-capturing device aimed or pointed generally to the side of and downward from the platform that carries the image-capturing device. Oblique images, unlike orthogonal images, display the sides of terrestrial features, such as houses, buildings and/or mountains, as well as the tops thereof. Thus, viewing an oblique image is more natural and intuitive than viewing an orthogonal or ortho-rectified image, and even casual observers are able to recognize and interpret terrestrial features and other objects depicted in oblique images. Each pixel in the foreground of an oblique image corresponds to a relatively small area of the surface or object depicted (Le., each foreground pixel has a relatively small ground sample distance) whereas each pixel in the background corresponds to a relatively large area of the surface or object depicted (i.e., each background pixel has a relatively large ground sample distance). Oblique images capture a generally trapezoidal area or view of the subject surface or object, with the foreground of the trapezoid having a substantially smaller ground sample distance (i.e., a higher resolution) than the background of the trapezoid.
Oblique images are considered to be of little or no use in photogrammetry. The conventional approach of forcing the variously-sized foreground and background pixels of an oblique image into a uniform size to thereby warp the image onto a coordinate system dramatically distorts the oblique image and thereby renders identification of objects and the taking of measurements of objects depicted therein a laborious and inaccurate task. Correcting for terrain displacement within an oblique image by using an elevation model further distorts the images thereby increasing the difficulty with which measurements can be made and reducing the accuracy of any such measurements.
Thus, although oblique images are considered as being of little or no use in photogrammetry, they are easily interpreted and contain information as to the height of features depicted therein. Therefore, what is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for photogrammetry that enable geo-location and accurate measurements within oblique images.
Moreover, what is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for photogrammetry that enable the measurement of heights and relative heights of objects within an image. Furthermore, what is needed in the art is a method and apparatus for photogrammetry that utilizes more intuitive and natural images.